Lyon's Farm Fun Weekend

I spent the weekend at the Kendall County Lyon's Farm Fall Festival in Yorkville, Illinois.  I took one treadle and 3 hand crank machines, along with one of my quilt frames, to show hand quilting. 

my booth space, as much room as I wanted, woohoo!

some hand quilting on my Hinterberg frame

1896 Singer 15 treadle

more of my booth area

New Home converted to a hand crank and some toy machines

1921 Singer 66 HC & 1959 Singer Spartan HC

some of my quilts displayed

I got lots of sewing done this weekend while showing off my machines.  It was so much fun chatting with people.  On Friday afternoon, after hubby and I set up the booth, I stopped at a few yard sales in the area.  I found a cute doily that was stained on one end.  I had fun turning that doily into a mug rug on Saturday.  Marcia at Crafty Sewing & Quilting showed how she turned an old hankie into a mug rug last week.  Well, I took her idea, and totally changed it up.  Marcia cut the edge of her hankie off, but, I really wanted the cute, crocheted edge left on my doily, so, I made my mug rug differently.

sewing strips to the hankie on my Spartan  hand crank

machine quilting my mug rug on my hand crank

I sewed my mug rug on my Spartan hand crank, including the machine quilting.  I only quilted in straight lines, so, it was easy to machine quilt.  I've never done well at free motion quilting on a machine, even though I've taken several classes.  Oh well, I know how to hand quilt very well, even if I'm REALLY SLOW at completing projects.  On Sunday morning, I attached the binding to the mug rug, and hand stitched it to the back.  Here is the finished mug rug.

completed mug rug

back of mug rug

Since I didn't know I was going to make this until late Friday night, I didn't take the correct thread to quilt it with on Saturday.  I had to quilt it with cream colored thread instead of orange or gold thread.  I think it turned out quite well.  I've never made a mug rug before this one.  This was a really quick finish for me, especially since I was chatting with people all day on Saturday about quilting and my machines instead of sewing on this. 

I also finished my block for the Wego Quiltin' October block lotto for Monday night.  We had to make a block with a neutral background, in fall colors with a pumpkin somewhere on the block.  and the block had to be 12.5" square, unfinished.  I think I did it all.  This block was paper pieced.  I'm having fun with paper piecing.

Wego Quiltin' October lotto block

The fabrics for both the mug rug and the block are leftovers from a quilt I made for my niece several years ago.  I've also used the same fabric for a table runner.  I tend to purchase WAY MORE fabric than I'll need for a project, just in case. 

I'll try to take pictures of everyone else's blocks for the block lotto and post them next week.  I doubt I'll win the blocks, but, at least I'll get the pictures.

We're going on a shop hop on Thursday.  There are 7 shops on this hop.  I'll try to remember to take some pictures.

Hope your weekend was as much fun as mine was.  Let me know what you did this weekend.

Happy 25th Anniversary!

September 26, 1987

Happy Anniversary Sweetie!  I'm Looking forward to the next 25 years!

Paper Piecing Fun!

I took a paper piecing class then end of April, but, I just didn't get a chance to practice it, due to graduations, wedding, etc. over the summer.  Well, two weeks ago, I got 'inspired' to try paper piecing again when a Treadle On member showed a great pattern on a blog of a Singer Featherweight.  The post that inspired me is here.  Isn't that the cutest little sewing machine?  Well, KT quickly sent me the link to the free pattern.  Since it was my regular Thursday sew-in day, I figured that I'd print it off and try it out.  Several of the ladies in my group are great paper piercers.  Thanks to Jo, Linda and Jan, I got the first part made, with much seam ripping.  Jo told me to go home and try the same part over again (I'd printed off 2 copies of the pattern), so that I'd get more practice and figure it out.  Well...

'S' of Singer

this is what I did that first day.  And this is what I've done now.

1st completed block

back of block

I have two of these done, all except one piece.  The pattern doesn't include the needle bar, or the ends of the spool of thread.  I used iron on reflector tape and satin ribbon for the needle and needle bar in the first block.  I'm not sure if I want to do that, or try something else for the second block.  I used a Pigma pen to color in the ends of the spool in the first block.  I may try to applique the ends in the 2nd block. 

Here are pictures of the pattern.  Links to the designers blog and free patterns page is here.

First 2 pages of the pdf file

the pieces that are not included in the pattern as paper pieced parts

 These were fun blocks to make.  I sewed these on my trusty Singer Spartan Hand Crank.

1959 Singer Spartan hand crank

I am designing blocks for the Wicked blog hop over at Sew We Quilt.

 

I almost went 'batty' making my first block with Steam a Seam lite 2.  The jury is still out on this product.  I had a really hard time getting it to hold onto my fabric before I ironed it in place.  You aren't supposed to iron it until you are ready to set it permanently.  The fusible kept sticking to the paper, not my fabric.  I also had a 'ghost' of a time trying to find a nice silvery grey fabric.  I purchased 2 possibles that I'm going to try.  

Jennifer Ofenstein over at Sew Hooked, designed the wonderful paper pieced Harry Potter Project of Doom quilt.  Well, I asked permission to use some of her patterns in my blocks for the blog hop.  Not only did she give me permission, but, she even re-sized them for me.  Isn't she sweet!  I've gotten so many ideas in my head, that I've designed 7 blocks so far.  So little time, so much to do.  Stay tuned!  I can't show these until it is my turn in the blog hop.  Maybe I'll show a few 'teasers' with fabrics over the next few weeks.   

On a personal note, I had laser surgery last Friday on my right leg for varicose veins.  They didn't warn me that I wouldn't be able to lift anything for a whole week.  I had to get hubby to lift my machine for me.  I'm behind in reading blogs because I have to prop my leg up, and, to do that, I have to contort myself at the computer.  I wind up with a crick in my neck, trying to twist around to look at the screen.  Did you know that you can use the hand crank with your feet elevated?  How cool is that?  

Have a great weekend!

PS:  The next leg will be done next Friday.  Recovery time is a month for each leg.  Hubby is taking really good care of me.

Special Gift and August NewFO's

Remember this sewing machine that I am holding for Pat, at least until it can get a ride from Chicago to North Carolina?

Pat's White Rotary sewing machine that I'm holding

Well, Pat sent me a wonderful gift yesterday.  I've told Pat that my Spartan Hand Crank is my favorite sewing machine.  Pat has a Spartan, and is now considering turning her's into a hand crank, too.  Well, this is what Pat made for me.

wall hanging made by Pat

This is Pat's first attempt at applique.  I think she did a wonderful job!  Sew Cute!  This is hand quilted, too!  THANKS PAT!!!!!

Cat Patches 2012 NewFO Challenge

 

 

 

I didn't get much sewing done in June or July, due to graduations, weddings, getting the last son ready for college, and my legs acting up.  Well, I finally got some sewing done in August.  Everything I sewed was done on a hand crank.  My poor Janome is going to feel slighted. 

I am in the group, Treadle On.  We are having a TOBE (Treadle On Block Exchange) this fall.  So far, I've gotten 3 sets of blocks sewn.

1959 Singer Spartan (192K) hand crank

TOBE blocks sewn on 1959 Singer Spartan (192K) Hand crank

Each set of blocks is supposed to have 12 HST's in it.  I sewed 16 HST's so that I'd have extra blocks for me.  I still have to sign the blocks before mailing them.

1921 Singer 66 (Redeye) hand crank

'Red' blocks sewn on 1921 Singer 66 'Redeye' hand crank

Yes, I chose red fabric to match the red and gold decals on this machine. 

1948 Singer 15-88 hand crank

sewn on 1948 Singer 15-88 hand crank

I also started the 'How far will you go? QAL (see button on side).  I made 4 of the first block.  I haven't had time to try any of the other blocks.

Yep, sewn on my trusty Spartan hand crank

QAL block 1, 4 blocks made

I took a paper piecing class back in May, but, I didn't have time to practice.  Well, there is a Thursday sew-in at a LQS, and, several of the ladies are very good at paper piecing.  I found a pattern early Thursday morning, and, with lots of help from Jo, Jan and Linda, look what I got done so far...

2 paper piecing blocks, one shown from the back

Jo suggested that I make a second block (since I already had another copy printed) so that I could reinforce what I'd learned.  Lots of 'unstitching' as I learned how to do this.  This will eventually turn into part of a Singer sewing machine, like this one on KT Quilt's blog.  Yes, I have a link to the pattern, thanks to KT.  Hopefully I'll show the finished block for Septembers NewFO party.

Now for a NewFO, but, it isn't my NewFO, it is my youngest son's project. 

Connor's Renaissance Fair shirt

hand embroidered sleeve hem

all hand stitched by my youngest son

No, I didn't teach my son how to make clothes.  I DID teach him the basics of hand sewing, many years ago, and, I taught him how to sew on a machine when he was 12 (he made a quilt that year).  Connor has worked on this, off and on, while working at a summer camp this summer.  I think he's done a great job!